Process of simultaneously producing alkali cyanid and alkali metal.



PATENTED DEG. 15, 1903.

. 1 DANGKWARDT'L PROCESS OF SIMULIANEOUSLY monucme ALKALI 0mm!) ANDALKALI METAL.- APPLIOAIION FILED JUNE 10,1903.

N0 MODEL,

- 062L291.- A (739012 W I No. 746,?96.

UNITED STATES Ratented December 15, 1903.

PAUL DA'NCKWARDT,OF-DEADWOOD,SOUTH DAKOTA.

PROCESS OF SIMULTANEOUSLY PRODUCING ALKALI CYANID AND ALKALI METAL.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 746,796, dated December15, 1903. Application filed une 10, 1903. Serial No. 160,866. (Nospecimens.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL DANoKwARDT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Deadwood, Lawrence county, South Dakota, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Processes of SimultaneouslyProduciug Alkali Oyanid and Alkali Metal, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to a process of producing simultaneously analkali cyanid and an alkali metal; and it consists in heating a mixtureof the nitrite of an alkali metal With another salt of an alkalimetaland the carbid of an alkali-earth metal under exclusion of air. As anitrite I prefer sodium nitrite, (NaNO and as acarbid the carbid'ofcalcium, (0210 The other alkali salt may be any salt that does notcontain oxygen,-as that would require a larger amount of the reducingagent or would otherwise create an oxidizing efiect on the end products,alkali cyanid and alkali metal.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of afurnace for carrying my process into effect on line 1 1, Fig. 2; andFig. 2 is a horizontal section on line 2 2, Fig. 1.

The furnace consists of a box the sides of which are formed by fourwater-jackets a, resting on a basic foundation 1? and connected bybraces 0. One of the jackets has an opening or tap-hole a, with a sprout(1. Two opposite jackets a. have openings through which the insulatedcarbon resistance-blocks e are introduced. These blocks carry on theirouter ends clamps e for connection with the poles of adypamo. The box isprovided with a cover f, having a charging-manhole which is closed by alid f. A pipe g conveys the gasic metal to a closed receptacle h.

In order to carry the process into effect by the above-describedapparatus, I fill the box with the mixed ingredients in about thefollowing proportions, by weight: one hundred and thirty-eight parts ofsodium nitrite, one hundred and ninety-five parts of fluorid of sodium,two hundred and fifty-five parts of carbid of calcium. I then close thelid f and pass aecurrent of electricity through the contents. Under theinfluence of the heat caused by the resistanceof the carbon 21 reactionsets in, which may be expressed by the following equation -erfulreducingagent.

If-sulfid of sodium is used instead of fluorid of sodium, the equationis as follows:

The fused-niassof the alkali cyanid and calcium fiuorid or calciumsulfid is drawn from the tap-hole a, while the alkali metal volatilizesand passes through the pipe g into the receptable h. I then charge thefurnace again and repeat the operation.

The mixture of cyanid and the other salt formed may be sold as such orthe cyanid may be extracted from it by water and obtained in a purestate from such a solution by any known process.

I am well aware that it has been tried to convert an alkali nitrite bymeans of carbon in the free state into a cyanid, but I have found thatthe output is very unsatisfactory, there taking place mainly reactionsbetween oxygen and the carbon but the large excess of alkali metal in myprocess in staiu nascendi and the presence of carbon equally in stain.8o

noscendt' prevent any such side reactions, the atmosphere within thefurnace being a pow- At the same time I obtain the simultaneousproduction of two valuable substances, thus cheapening the output ofboth.

What I claim is- 1. The process of simultaneously producing' an alkalicyanid and an alkali meta1,which consists in heating an alkali nitrite,another alkali salt, and a carbid of an alkali-earth metal underexclusion of air, substantially as specified.

2. The process of simultaneously producin g ail-alkali cyauid and analkali metal,which consists in heating an alkali nitrite in the presenceof carbon in statu nasce'ndrl and in the presence of an alkali metal instat-u nasce-nd under exclusion of air, substantially as specified.

Signed by me at Deadwood, South Dakota, this 4th day of June, 1903.v

PAUL DANGKWARDT.

Witnesses:

R. N. OGDEN, G. E. FLAVIN.

